Part 12 (2/2)

Her hand was as cold as ice

Then, before Beppo kneas happening, he found that he was beingto her when the priest had ended, and he frowned until his broere as black as thunder--”now you are reater than I?”

But the princess said never a word, only the tears ran one after another down her white face The king sat staring at her and frowning

Suddenly some one tapped Beppo upon the shoulder It was the tall ain This ti The tall man in black led the way, and Beppo and the princess followed along the secret passage and up and down the stairs until at last they ca was beginning to fall

The arden to the river, and still Beppo and the princess followed hiht of steps, and there was a little frail boat without sail or oars

The tall man in black beckoned towards the boat, and Beppo knew that he and princess were to enter it

As soon as Beppo had helped the princess into the boat the tall man thrust it out into the stream with his foot, and the boat drifted away from the shore and out into the river, and then around and around Then it floated off down the stream

It floated on and on, and the sun set and the ht he had never seen any one so beautiful in all his life It was all like a dreaht never waken But the princess sat there weeping and weeping, and said nothing

The night fell darker and darker, but still Beppo sat looking at the princess Her face was as white as silver in the ardens came across the river The boat floated on and on until by-and-by it drifted to the shore again and a the river reeds, and there it stopped, and Beppo carried the princess ashore

”Listen,” said the princess ”Do you knoho I am?”

”No,” said Beppo, ”I do not”

”I ahts I should be queen of this land”

Beppo could not believe his ears

”It is true that I am married to you,” said she, ”but never shall you be !” said Beppo; ”how can I be king?”

”You shall be king,” said the princess

”But the king is everything,” said Beppo, ”and I ainnings,” said the princess; ”a big tree from a little seed”

Some little distance away froht, and thither Beppo led the princess When the two came to it, they found it was a little hut, for there were fish-nets hanging outside in the ht

Beppo knocked

An old woht, to see the fine lady in silks and satins with a gold ring upon her finger, and nobody with her but one who looked like a poor beggar-man